When Silence Prevails
by Pathseldomtraveled
Summary: Everyone loves Hawkeye. I was never really good with summarys.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Don't own MASH. Do you?**

**A/N: I already have five chapters writen and I promise to update regularly. I hope you like it. **

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"Hawk! Come on! Wake up!" Hawkeye was roughly awoken by BJ shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Why should I wake up?" Hawkeye groaned with his eyes tightly shut and his blanket pulled up over his head.

"Because your day won't be complete until you see my bright shinning face. Besides, you promised to give me the ultimate golf lesson. Remember?"

Hawkeye's eyes peeked out from under the covers. He opened them for a moment and then quickly rushed to the little cove of darkness that his blanket provided.

"Come ON Hawk!"

"What? I saw your face, my day can now commence and I chose to sleep!" His voice came out a little muffled from the barrier he had placed between himself and BJ and the blinding light.

"Either SHUT UP or you can BOTH leave!" Charles yelled, finally having enough of his tent mates' bickering.

"Come on Hawk. You can't let this beautiful day go to waste can you?" Ignoring Charles, BJ continued trying to get Hawkeye out of bed.

"Fine. You've talked me into it. Besides you're much better company than old Chuckles here."

"Ha ha. I knew you'd see it my way."

"Good. Great. Now you both can leave!" Charles repeated, giving up on his reading. It was hopeless to try to regain the peaceful quiet. So he decided to browse through his collection of 

records. Finally he picked up _Kindertotenlieder_, placed it in the phonograph, and tried to let the music take him away from his wretched surroundings.

"Come on Hawk. You better hurry up before Charles gets too mad."

"What? You're worried that Charles will try attacking us with his music?" Hawkeye threw off his blanket with a flourish and jumped out of his cot. "Alright I'm up! Time to golf!"

"You might want to put on some pants first" BJ replied struggling to suppress his laughter.

Hawkeye looked down at his meager shorts and decided that BJ was probably right. He wanted to golf, not drive the nurses crazy with desire for him.

"Spoil sport." BJ just smiled as he grabbed the bag of golf clubs, giving Hawkeye the chance to put the rest of his clothes on.

"Toodle-oo Charles." Hawkeye waggled his fingers at Charles, before he and BJ excited the tent. Finally. They were gone and Charles could now listen to his music in peace.

Outside, Hawkeye and BJ walked together towards the mess tent, feeling that they should get some nourishment before they dedicate themselves to the strenuous task before them.

"So what is this ultimate lesson anyway? I don't even like golfing." BJ complained good-naturedly.

"Oh you'll like this type. We get to see fireworks while cleaning up our little corner of Korea."

"What are you talking about?"

"The mine-field my dear Watson! We are going to hit balls into the field attempting to set off the mines. The first person to set off five wins. Okay?" BJ just shook his head. Leave it to Hawkeye to make a game out of weapons of war.

"First, however, we must risk death by facing the goodies that await us in the mess tent." Hawkeye was always brutally honest when it came to army food. What could you expect from WWII surplus? Something that tasted good? Yeah right! The two doctors didn't have a choice though, so they reluctantly headed to the mess tent. BJ left the golf clubs waiting outside as he gentlemanly held the door open for his friend.

"Why thank you my good sir. Now if you could kindly set a table and get me my food." Hawkeye grinned.

"Yes sah. Right away sah." BJ never could resist Hawk when he smiled like that, but than, Hawkeye had the amazing talent of cheering anyone up.

The two doctors grabbed their food and joined Colonel Potter, who had been eating alone.

"Beautiful day, isn't it boys? Got any plans for today?"

"Yeah, I was going to teach BJ how to hit a mine with a golf ball Colonel. Wanna join us?"

"No. Thank you. I've got a new Zane Gray book that Radar managed to scrounge up for me calling my name. I plan on putting my feet up and getting lost in a good book." Potter sighed contentedly, already imagining the peaceful day waiting for him in his tent.

"I think Radar can get a hold of anything."

"Oh good! Do you think if I described the perfect nurse, he'd be able to get her here by tomorrow?" BJ and the Colonel laughed.

They ate the rest of their food in a comfortable silence, each in their own separate thoughts. Today was going to be a good day. There were no wounded expected for the day and maybe for tomorrow also. If they were lucky. The fighting had shifted a little and the wounded were being sent to another MASH unit, giving the 4077th a much needed break. Everyone was making the most of their well-deserved rest and also of the lovely spring day. It was the first day of actual sun and warmth after the bitter cold of winter. Everyone was ecstatic to get a chance at curing their cabin fever.

"Well I'm off. Enjoy your day boys." Colonel Potter stood up, grabbed his tray, and walked out. He was eager to start his own peaceful day.

"Alrighty, time to play some golf." Hawkeye pushed his half-eaten tray aside. He didn't want to ruin his nice spring day.

"I'm still eating Hawk." BJ said through a mouthful of…he wasn't sure what it was actually.

"How can you eat that stuff anyway?" Hawkeye was always amazed at BJ's fortitude, strength, courage, bravery. Stupidity?

"It's simple. I just think about Peg's wonderful cooking." Ah so that's how it was done. Mystery solved. Beej's insane. He understood now.

"You're insane, you know it?" Hawkeye chuckled.

Hawkeye sat there, just watching as BJ stabbed a piece of mystery meat with his fork, lifted it up to his mouth, chewed, and finally actually swallowed! It was a medical marvel. Proof that the food could actually be eaten and then digested.

"Okay! Time to go. I'm sick of you staring at me eating. It's creepy."

"Exactly. Your eating is creepy." Hawkeye grinned again.


	2. Chapter 2

The two doctors grabbed their food trays and placed them outside on top of the unsteady pile. BJ picked up the clubs and they started to head towards the mine field. They walked together, not saying a word, as they enjoyed the bright beautiful day. Hawkeye lifted his head, looked up to the brilliant blue sky, and took in a breath of fresh air. He let it out with a sigh of contentment. It was so rare to get these types of peaceful days in Korea. Suddenly his peace was shattered, however, by the loud honking of a jeep that had just driven into the compound. BJ and Hawkeye stopped and turned around to watch as the jeep pulled up next to them.

"Hi BJ. Hi Hawkeye. Going out for a game of golf?" Sidney Freedman asked.

"Hey Sidney! You're early for the poker game."

"Well I had heard the 4077th was experiencing an unusual bout of tranquility. I thought I had better get down here as soon I could" Sidney grinned.

"Ha ha. Good thinking Sidney. Our home is your home. Gonna set up in The Swamp? Watch out for Charles. He's listening to his dead children songs."

"Oh boy, wish me luck." With a chuckle Sidney got out of the jeep, picked up his things, and walked off towards The Swamp. BJ and Hawkeye chuckled too and continued on their way.

"Well here we are." Hawkeye held his arms up, open wide as if he was trying to hug the whole of Korea.

"And look! Here are our golf balls." Hawkeye pointed to the ground this time. Right by his feet was a pile of stones.

"What no real golf balls?" BJ asked innocently, trying to keep from smiling.

"Well I tried to get dad to send me some, but he thought I was joking."

"What did you tell him? That you wanted golf balls so that you could use them to set off mines?"

"Yeah! The truth! I would never lie to my dad! I don't know why he didn't believe me." BJ just stared at him. He wasn't sure if Hawkeye was serious or not. You never could tell with him.

"Okay so here's how the game goes. You pick a rock, any rock, place it in position, aim for a mine--"

"Wait a second, how do you aim for a mine? They're hidden."

"You'll know when you hit it."

"But…"

"Shh, let me finish. Like I was saying; aim for a mine and let swing. The first person to set off five mines wins. Understand?" Sure. Why not?

"Who goes first?" That was the only thing that BJ could think to say, besides; are you crazy? He already knew the answer to that question anyway.

"Guests first."

BJ bent down and grabbed a stone. He placed it on a little tuft of grass and took the club that Hawkeye handed him. He pulled the club back and swung it forward with all his might, hitting the ball, sending it flying. The ball soared into the air, briefly blinding the doctors with sunlight as they tried to follow the ball with their eyes. They watched as the ball started to head towards the ground again, a great deal of distance away from where they stood. As the ball landed they 

saw the ground fly up around it, sending pieces of dirt everywhere. The flying debris was accompanied by a loud bang.

"I got one!" BJ shouted, jubilant.

"Beginners' luck Beej."

"You just don't want to admit that I'm better."

"Better!? Do you know who you're talking to? I'm the champ of mine golfing!"

Hawkeye reached down and placed his own stone on a little mound of dirt. He lifted his club up and brought it back to the ball, sending it flying. He was not as lucky as BJ, however, when the stone simple hit the ground and bounced up into the air a couple times. There were no loud booms and no flying dirt.

"The champ huh." BJ smirked at Hawkeye.

"You just got lucky. That's all."

"Sure. We'll see who wins."

They continued playing their game. BJ was next to go. This time, however, the stone simply bounced harmlessly along the ground. Hawkeye playfully pushed BJ aside and picked up his new golf ball, placing it just right. When his second ball hit the ground, it flew up in the air, broken into many pieces.

"We're tied!" Hawkeye shouted, above the noise of the newly triggered mine. A crowd was starting to form around them. BJ could swear he even heard some of them betting on who would actually win the game. The mines going off must have attracted them. The two doctors each took 

another turn, neither one of them managing to set off a new mine. This, however, didn't seem to detract from the crowd's entertainment. If anything the crowd had gotten larger. It looked like all the personal at the MASH unit had showed up just to watch their doctors play Korean Mine Golf.

"All right Hawk. My turn. Step aside and watch a pro at work."

"A pro!? Ha! We'll see Beej."

When BJ's latest stone landed this time, however, it was immediately followed with the satisfactory sound of yet another mine being set off. This was unfortunately not the only the sounds that could be heard. The first loud boom was followed by an equally loud series of short bangs.

"Sniper! Run!' Someone shouted from the crowd, which was rapidly breaking up. Everyone was fleeing to safer parts of the camp.

"Come on Hawk!" BJ yelled, running as fast as he could to the nearest building, which happened to be post op. It took him a second to notice that his friend wasn't running beside him. He turned around, ready to tell Hawkeye to hurry up, but what he saw paralyzed him.


	3. Chapter 3

Hawkeye looked at BJ with a surprised expression on his face. He gazed at BJ for a second, but then looked down at his own chest in amazement. He stared at the quickly spreading stain of red. It was blood. _His _blood. Something was defiantly wrong here.

"Beej…?"

"Hawk!?" BJ shook off his paralysis and ran to him.

"Hawkeye are you okay!? Can you move? We have to get to cover!" BJ was terrified for his friend. It didn't look good. But he had to get him somewhere safe. It would be even worse for Hawk if he got shot again. Hawkeye looked at BJ again and nodded his head. He tried to take a step forward but stumbled. He would have fallen if it hadn't been for BJ throwing his arm around him and holding him up. With BJ supporting most of his weight, they were able to start walking towards safety.

"Colonel! Charles! Margaret!" BJ frantically yelled for help. Hawkeye would almost certainly need to be operated on immediately. He could feel Hawkeye's strength leave him with every step they took. And it was a chest wound. Hawkeye would need all the strength he could get just to survive. BJ wasn't sure if he would have enough though.

"Hawkeye!?" BJ turned his head and saw Radar running towards them.

"Is he okay!? Hawkeye? Are you okay!?"

"Radar! Listen to me okay?"

Radar swallowed and nodded. He was visibly shaken.

"Radar I need you to get the Colonel and tell him to get prepared for surgery. OK? Then I want you to get Margaret and tell her the same think. Tell them to hurry. Got it?"

Radar nodded a second time.

"Good. Now run!" BJ watched as Radar ran off. He wondered what the Colonel would do when he heard. What about Margaret? No one was going to take this news well.

"We're almost there Hawk. Don't worry you'll be fine." He was awful at lying, but he needed it to be true. It had to be.

"Beej…" His voice was so weak. BJ could hardly hear him.

"Relax Hawkeye. Conserve your energy. Don't worry. It'll be okay." Please! Please let it be okay.

"BJ… Listen..." Hawkeye gasped, struggling for breath.

"Sure Hawk. Go ahead." They were almost to safety. Just a little bit further.

"BJ, don't worry…about…me." BJ could tell he was running out of energy. He struggled to catch his breath between each word.

"Of course I'm not worried." BJ said, a little too frantically. Hawkeye started to laugh which quickly turned into an awful coughing fit. He knew he shouldn't laugh. It hurt and this was defiantly not the time to laugh. But he couldn't help it. He was sure that if his situation wasn't so serious, it would have been hilarious. The shocked look that BJ gave him was so funny. Apparently everything is more laughable when you're dying. Dying. Yeah. Hawkeye had a bad feeling that he might actually die.

"Beej, you'll be fine." It had taken a huge amount of effort to speak an entire sentence, but this was important to Hawk. He knew BJ. BJ would blame himself. He would lose his focus in Korea. BJ needed to know that he would be fine. He had a family back home. Hawkeye didn't want Peg to finally be reunited with her husband, only to find that the war has scarred him beyond repair. Peg doesn't need a husband who is haunted by his assumed failures.

"I'm not worried about me Hawk! Look at you!"

"Beej…" He had to make him understand.

"BJ…it's…not…your…fault…if…I…don't…" He broke off into another coughing fit. BJ struggled to support more of Hawkeye's weight. It was a good thing they were almost there. Just a few feet more. It felt like an eternity, but they finally pushed through the doors of post-op. They were astounded at the sight that awaited them. Colonel Potter, Margaret, Charles, Sidney, Radar, and about half a dozen others, with very grave faces, were all standing around in pristinely white scrubs.

"Who died?" Hawkeye managed to get out without having to cough up his lungs.

"Pierce!" Margaret shrieked, not at all amused by Hawkeye's joke.

Everybody swarmed around Hawkeye. They forced him to lie down on a stretcher and whisked him away. BJ ran off to get himself cleaned up and ready for surgery. He wasn't going to let anyone else operate on Hawkeye. He was furiously digging under his nails when Sidney walked in.

"BJ? How're you doing?" Sidney asked quietly. He was worried about how BJ was handling this.

"I can't talk Sidney, I have to hurry."

"BJ if you don't take it easy you'll scrub your skin off." BJ looked down at his hands and noticed that they were very red. Bits of skin were starting to peel off. He turned off the scalding water and reached for a towel.

"BJ, it'll be okay."

"How do you know Sidney? How can you possibly know? He looks awful. I'm not sure if he will--" He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. Hawkeye just had to live. He had to!

"BJ, what ever happens with Hawkeye won't be your fault. Do you understand that?" BJ stared at Sidney. Was he wearing a sign or something?

"Hawkeye just said the same thing."

"Did he?" That didn't surprise Sidney. He knew Hawkeye had a huge capacity of feeling what his friends were going through, even when he is suffering himself. It made him very worried that Hawkeye had told BJ that though. Does that mean he didn't think he would survive? How bad off is Hawkeye anyway?

"I'm worried about him Sidney." BJ looked so scared. He looked like a child who had lost his parents and was now all alone. Sidney sensed that that was how BJ truly felt. Would BJ be able to handle Korea and the war without Hawkeye?


	4. Chapter 4

Once BJ finally finished getting ready, he and Sidney headed to the operating room. BJ walked in, saw the large group of people around just one table, took a deep breath, and walked over to his newest patient.

"Are you sure you can handle this son?" Potter asked gently, exchanging a brief glance with Sidney.

"Yes Colonel. I'm not going to let anyone else operate on him." BJ stated fervently and looked down at the man lying on the table before him. His best friend. He was amazed at how pale Hawkeye was. He was deathly white, except, of course, for the large stain of red on his chest. BJ looked into the eyes of his friend. He hadn't been anesthetized yet. When their eyes met, BJ could see the pain and fear. He also saw that the twinkle that had once shone brightly in his eyes was now diminished.

"Hawk." BJ whispered, so quietly that it was almost inaudible. Hawkeye heard it though, or maybe he had just read the word from BJ's lips. Through the pain etched face, BJ could see Hawkeye's smile, a small uplifting at the corners of his mouth. He then took a deep breath and, letting it out slowly, closed his eyes. BJ almost panicked, but he knew that Hawkeye wasn't dead. Not yet.

"Alright son, time to start." BJ glanced up at the Colonel, but quickly looked away. He couldn't stand the pity in Potter's eyes. He then looked at Charles, who was busy anesthetizing Hawkeye.

BJ took a deep breath, preparing himself.

"Scalpel, Margaret."

Margaret handed him the instrument. BJ poised the tip on Hawkeye's pallid skin, took another deep breath, and began.

A couple hours into surgery and the news still wasn't good. BJ had removed the bullet and repaired most of the damage done, but the bullet's path of destruction was no longer the problem. Not now. The problem was with Hawkeye's heart. It wasn't beating properly.

"Blood Pressure's dropping." Charles gravely spoke up.

"It's compressed. I need to drain out the blood." During the operation BJ's hands had been steady, but the frantic panicked look had never left his eyes. It was this desperate look that he now directed at the Colonel.

"Take it easy son, you're doing fine." BJ's performance had been his best yet, but Potter wasn't sure if it would be enough. The room was very tense. And very quiet. The entire MASH unit seemed to have squeezed into the operating room. Colonel Potter would have ushered them all out by now, but he knew it was hopeless. In the back, by himself, was Sidney. He solemnly watched the operation, but he also kept an eye on the rest of the unit. Hawkeye was the heart and soul of this camp. The heartbeat. Anything that happens to him is bound to affect the camp.

"No pulse." Charles whispered, shocked.

"His heart's stopped! I'm going to try to massage it. Margaret I need a rib spreader! Hurry!" When BJ was able to, he reached his hand into his best friend's chest and located the heart. BJ couldn't believe it. He was holding Hawk's heart, trying to coax some life into it.

"Come on Hawk. You can do it. Come on Hawk. You have to. Please Hawk." BJ quietly begged his friend.

The room was silent except for BJ's whispered plea. Everyone held their breaths, praying for God to spare their chief surgeon.

Klinger nervously fingered his nurse's uniform cheerlessly feeling useless.

Radar thought about Henry, gasping every time he remembered to breathe.

Margaret wiped away a small teardrop that had slipped past her steely resolve.

Father Mulcahy prayed that he would not have to be of service.

Charles's mind was empty, for once he didn't know what to do or think.

Sidney gazed around the room, observing others and wondering what he would do if Hawkeye died.

Colonel Potter looked down at his best surgeon and prayed for his adopted son's life.

BJ thought only of what his hands were doing, he couldn't afford to fall apart now.

"BJ…" Charles whispered.

"No! I'm not giving up!"

The seconds felt like hours to BJ. He knew that every second that went by with no results decreased Hawkeye's chances. He could almost have cried when he felt the precious organ in his hands move.

"He's back." The whole camp breathed a sigh of relief.

"Close him up son. We've done all we can for him. The rest is up to him."

"Yes Colonel. Do you think he'll make it?" "BJ knew that Hawkeye's prognosis wasn't good, but he needed to be comforted.

"I don't know BJ. He's lost a lot of blood and he's got a strong chance of getting an infection. But he's strong-willed and if he has anything to say about it…" It was the only comfort that Potter could provide. They both knew that Hawkeye's chances were slim.

After the surgery was finished, BJ watched as Hawkeye was taken back into post op and gently laid on an empty cot. Everyone looked so depressed and the camp was unusually quiet.

Sidney also observed everyone's reaction. The depression and quietness weren't abnormal, but he was still very concerned about BJ. He watched as BJ, head hung low, walked out of the room. There was a look of pure anguish on his face. Sidney decided to follow him. He found BJ hunched over the sink. He was scrubbing his hands again. He looked up at Sidney.

"I held his heart in my hands. His blood is on my skin." BJ whispered, holding up his hands.


	5. Chapter 5

Sidney didn't know what to say to BJ. For once he was speechless. He could only helplessly watch as BJ walked out of the room. Standing at the door, Sidney saw BJ walk over to Hawkeye's side and sit down. Sidney didn't know what he could do. He felt useless so he decided to head for The Swamp.

When Sidney had driven into camp earlier it had been cheerful. There were groups of people who had been laughing and talking. They had been celebrating the first day of spring. Now, however, everyone was quiet. Their sad silent faces were a sharp contrast to the bright beautiful day. When Sidney reached The Swamp he saw Charles sitting quietly on his side of the tent.

"No music Charles?"

"No." Charles just looked off into the distance.

"May I ask why not?"

"It is too quiet to listen to music."

"Too quiet?" Apparently Charles wasn't taking this so well either.

"Yes. When I listen to my music, it is an escape. Most of the time it is an escape from the childish antics of BJ and… Now when I put on a record…" Charles became silent.

Sidney didn't think that he would be able to comfort him. Charles just needed to be left alone for a while. He needed to sort through his thoughts and come to terms with this recent tragedy. Sidney walked back outside and headed towards Colonel Potter's office. In the outer office Sidney saw Radar, who looked up as Sidney walked in. Sidney could see Radar's watery eyes and the teddy bear that he convulsively clutched.

"How are you doing Radar?" Sidney asked gently.

"Is he going to be okay?" Sidney could hear the tremble in Radar's voice.

"I don't know Radar, but you know Hawk. He's a fighter. He won't let Korea beat him." Radar just took a gulping breath as a tear silently slid down his face.

"You should rest Radar. You must be exhausted. Will you be alright?" Sidney received a muted nod and then walked into the Colonel's office.

"Hi Sidney." Potter looked up as the door opened. Colonel Potter was sitting at his desk with a small mountain of paper piled before him.

"Hi Sherman. How are you holding up?"

"Making the rounds Sidney? It's a lucky thing you're here. I think the camp is going to need you for these couple of days."

"I'll stay as long as I'm needed Sherman. How are you doing though?"

"I'm old Sidney. It's not like I haven't seen things like this happen before. But this has been the hardest for me."

"Well Hawkeye is usually so vibrant. It's going to be hard for everyone to see him like this."

"What if he doesn't make it Sidney? How is the camp going to handle that? Hawkeye is what keeps this place going half the time."

"You just have to hope that he does. Like I told Radar, do you really think Hawkeye would let Korea beat him?" Potter just sadly shook his head.

"I don't know if he has a choice. Korea has already taken a lot of lives. It hasn't left Hawkeye unaffected"

"We can only wait Sherman, but Hawkeye is strong. You have to remember that"

"You're right of course, but this place can get to the best of us. Anyway, how are you holding up Sidney?"

"I don't know Sherman. Like you said, I'm just making the rounds."

"You have to take care of yourself too Sidney."

"Don't worry about me Sherman. Call it therapeutic work. The person I need to check on now is BJ. Is he still in post op?"

"Yeah. I'd send him to The Swamp to rest, Lord knows he needs it, but he wouldn't listen to me. I'd just find him back in post op sitting next to Hawkeye." Sidney could tell from Potter's voice that he was worried about BJ. And Hawkeye.

Sidney nodded to Colonel Potter and walked back out of the office. He glanced at Radar and was happy to see him sound asleep on his cot. He needed this sleep. After all, sleep, along with time, is the best healer. Sidney paused at the door to post op, knowing that this next encounter was going to be his hardest one. He pushed open the door and walked through. He could see BJ sitting next to Hawkeye. He looked exhausted.

"How are you doing BJ?" Sidney asked, walking over to him. BJ was staring at the floor. He didn't react at all to Sidney's question. Sidney sat down next to BJ and put his hand on BJ's shoulder, who gave a startled jump and looked up at Sidney.

"Hi Sidney. How long have you been there?"

"Not long. I just got here actually. How are you doing BJ?" Sidney repeated his question.

"I'll be much better as soon as he gets better. If he gets better…" BJ sadly looked at his best friend.

"BJ, you can't stop living your life because of what happened to Hawkeye."

BJ ignored him and looked at the picture clutched in his hands. It was a picture of him with Peg and Erin.

"Your family needs you BJ. They need you to return to them. BJ you have a family at home waiting for you."

"How can I go home to them Sidney?"

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"The war has changed me Sidney. I've become a different man. I'm not the same person that Peg married."

"People change throughout their lifetime BJ."

"But not like this. How can I go home Sidney? How can I bring home all of these horrible memories? When Peg looks into my eyes I don't want her to see the horrors that haunt them. How can I hold her with these hands? There has been so much blood on them. Too much blood. And all of it from kids. And what about Erin? I don't want her to find out that her daddy was gone because he had to patch kids up in order to send them back to the front. A daughter should be able to be proud of her father." BJ choked down a sob.

"You should give them some credit BJ. Your family will need you and you need them."

"I never want Peg or Erin to be exposed to this Sidney. Hawkeye gave me hope. He was a barrier between me and the war, but now it's all pouring in Sidney. I don't know how to handle it." BJ hung his head low and stared at the ground, not really seeing it. The picture that had once been his pride and joy slid out of his loose hands and floated gently to the ground. Another casualty of the war.


	6. Chapter 6

The days slowly went by. For BJ, each hour that Hawkeye was still unconscious was pure torture. They only reason he left Hawkeye's side was when Colonel Potter forced him to eat. He also had to leave to perform the occasional surgery, but Charles and Potter did most of them. Unless there was a huge infestation of wounded they let BJ remain by Hawkeye's bed. They were as worried about Hawkeye as BJ was. BJ was startled out of his thoughts by footsteps.

"How's he doing BJ?" Colonel Potter sadly gazed at Hawkeye.

"He's still the same Colonel."

"Well at least he's not getting any worse."

"For him to get worse, he would have to die." BJ and Potter just quietly watched their beloved friend, each caught up in their own separate thoughts.

The entire camp had hoped and prayed for Hawkeye to quickly come around, but he hadn't. Now they silently waited, but they've begun to lose hope. Colonel Potter started to become very worried for the moral of the camp. He couldn't remember the last time he heard someone laugh or even smile. Actually, that's not true, he can remember. The last laugh he heard was from Hawkeye, who had been grinning from ear to ear. Colonel Potter chuckled softly to himself as he remembered Hawkeye's latest request for Radar. He had wanted the perfect nurse. Potter silently prayed for Hawkeye to get better soon so that he could enjoy that nurse.

"Have you eaten yet BJ?" Potter was beginning to get worried about BJ too. He couldn't keep living like this. A person needs to see sunlight at least once a week.

"I'm fine Colonel."

"You need to eat son. Tell you what. How about I get a nurse to bring you some food from the mess tent?" Colonel Potter walked out without waiting for an answer. He knew exactly which nurse he would sic on BJ. He just had to find Margaret now. He had seen her walking around earlier. So now he searched the compound, finally finding her on the way back to her tent.

"Margaret! Can I have a word with you?" Margaret turned around at the sound of the Colonel's voice.

"Sure Colonel. What's the problem?"

"I would actually like to ask a favor of you Margaret."

"Anything Colonel."

"Margaret I've been really worried about BJ. Do you think you could grab some food from the mess tent and take it to him?" Potter knew that she would make him eat. Maybe she could make him feel a little better too.

"Sure Colonel."

"Thanks Margaret."

He watched as Margaret turned around and headed back the way she had come. Hopefully she would be able to help BJ. He knew that she would at least make him eat.

In the mess tent, Margaret grabbed a try and loaded it full of what could questionably be called food. She marched out of the mess tent and right into post op.

"BJ I've brought you food. You should eat. It's not healthy to live like this" She gently coaxed.

"No thank you Margaret."

"BJ you have to eat something."

"I'm not that hungry Margaret."

"BJ Hunnicutt! You will eat right this minute! Do you understand me?!" Margaret shouted, giving up on the cajoling tone. She shoved the food tray underneath BJ's nose. BJ picked up the fork and took a bite of mystery meat to placate her. He wanted to be alone.

"Thanks Margaret. I guess I was hungry." He smiled politely, trying to get rid of her.

"You men." Margaret grumbled, but she left BJ alone with Hawkeye.

BJ gloomily finished his food. He watched as Hawkeye's chest rose and fell with no sign of him waking up.

"Damn it Hawkeye, why won't you wake up!?" BJ must have asked this question a hundred times already, but he never got an answer.

"Hawkeye, don't you get it? I need you! Yeah you heard me. I need you! It's taken me this long to tell you, but it's the truth. I'm sorry I never told you before. I should have…but how was I to know something like this was going to happen? It's not fair. You are the only thing that keeps me sane in Korea. And now you are lying in this bed, fighting for your life. You have done so much for me and I can't even help you with this. But Hawk, you have to understand. Everything depends on this. If you don't…If you d... Hawkeye I need you here. You are the best friend I ever had. You're like a brother to me Hawk." BJ paused. It was hard for him to share his feelings like this. But he wasn't sure if he would get a chance to tell Hawkeye later and he had to get it out.

"I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found you here. This is the worse place I've ever been in my life. I wasn't prepared for it. I couldn't even have imagined it. You saved me Hawk. I wish I could return the favor. I did my best Hawk, but I guess it just wasn't enough. Hawkeye you need to get better!!"

BJ let out a sigh, wishing that he could have done more for his friend. He leaned his head on the back on his chair, closing his eyes He was exhausted. He started to doze off. He thought he could hear Hawkeye whispering in his dreams. Telling him to wake up, that everything would be okay. BJ could hear Hawkeye's voice so clearly, calling his name over and over. Almost as if he weren't sleeping. He wasn't sleeping. Could it be? He opened his eyes and looked down at Hawkeye. His eyes gazed into those of his best friends.

"Hawkeye?" BJ whispered, praying that he wasn't imaging things.

"Hey Beej."

"Hawkeye! Thank God!"

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**I'm not sure whether to end it here. Would you like another chapter? Thank you to all of my readers, especially those who reviewed. **


	7. Chapter 7

"You have to eat Hawkeye! You're still recovering." BJ ordered.

"I've already eaten. I ate breakfast, brunch, lunch, supper, dinner. And I would recover a lot quicker if we were actually fed real food!" Despite his complaints, Hawkeye to a bite of the food, making faces each time he swallowed.

Hawkeye was recovering quickly. He was back in The Swamp. He moved back, under the protestations of BJ and Colonel Potter, after a week in post op. He had threatened that he would move himself if they didn't help him. Ever since then, BJ had been checking on him about four times an hour and those were the few hours when he wasn't with Hawkeye. BJ knew he was being overprotective. He knew that Hawkeye would make a full recovery, but it had been close. He had almost lost his best friend.

"I've cleaned my plate dad. Can I go out and play now?" Hawkeye teased BJ.

"You have no idea how worried I was about you! Next time I'll get shot and you can be the panicked doctor. Okay!?" BJ took some satisfaction from the look of horror on Hawkeye's face. He walked over to Hawkeye's bunk and helped his friend stand up. It had been three weeks already, but Hawkeye was still weak and sometimes needed help getting around.

"I'm alright. I'm alright. I can walk on my own."

"Why do doctors always make the worse patients?"

Hawkeye got to his feet, a little unsteadily, and walked out of the tent, with BJ following close behind. It cheered Hawkeye up to get some fresh air after having spent so much time in bed. It cheered the rest of the camp up more, however, to see that their chief surgeon was going to be okay.

"So Beej, where shall we go today? The latrine's been looking a little lonely."

"How about we just take a walk around the camp?" It was good to know that Hawkeye's insanity hadn't been injured.

"You have no sense of adventure."

"Just be--" BJ's reply was cut off by the sound of incoming choppers.

"Looks like we have wounded." Hawkeye observed.

"Yeah. Let me get you back to The Swamp." BJ hurriedly grabbed Hawkeye by the elbow, guiding him back to their tent.

"What are you talking about? I'm not going back to The Swamp. I'm going to the O.R. with everyone else." Hawkeye dug his heels into the ground, refusing to budge.

"Hawkeye you're not well enough to operate yet!"

"Who says I'm going to operate? I just want to be there. I'm a surgeon Beej, you can't keep me away. Why else am I in Korea?" BJ could tell that Hawkeye would eventually get his way.

"Alright, but remember you're still recovering. Don't be stupid."

"Me? Be stupid? Never!"

BJ and Hawkeye redirected their footsteps to where the wounded now waited for them. BJ handed Hawkeye over to Radar, who took him to get scrubbed up. In the operating room Colonel Potter was already busy with a patient. He looked up when Hawkeye entered.

"Glad to have you back son."

"Glad to be back Colonel."

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**THE END**

**I hope you liked it. Let me know. **


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